Jeff Smith (motorcyclist)
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Jeffrey Vincent Smith MBE (born 1934 in Colne, England) is a former world champion motocross racer.
His achievements include two FIM 500cc Motocross World Championships (1964, 1965), two British Trials Championships, multiple British Experts Trial wins, four individual race wins in the Motocross des Nations and three ISDE Gold Medals. He was a member of the BSA factory racing team.
Smith began his riding career as a trials rider, becoming so successful that he was offered a spot on the Norton factory team. After moving to BSA, he won the 1953 and 1954 British Trials Championship. BSA asked Smith to compete in motocross racing which he did with such success that he soon began to concentrate on a motocross career. In 1964 at the age of 30 he captured the 500cc Motocross World Championship, defeating the defending champion, Swede Rolf Tibblin. He successfully defended his crown the following year.
After he retired from competition, he helped develop off-road bikes for Can-Am motorcycles that went on to claim the first three places in the 1974 AMA 250cc motocross national championship. Smith was also involved in vintage motorcycle racing becoming the executive director of the American Historic Racing Motorcycle Association (AHRMA) before retiring from that position.
In 1970, Smith was awarded the title of Member of the British Empire. He was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 2000. He currently lives in Wausau, Wisconsin.
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